


Arcade Night

by anotherfirename



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: (Feel free to read into things however you want there are just no explicit ships here), Everyone is friends with everyone is what you should take away from those relationship tags, Gen, I finally get to add that last character tag, Jack Morrison gets roped into dad mode, Jesse McCree makes bad decisions, Light Angst, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Teen rating is basically just for swearing later on., also snack food names in Japanese, and Korean, arcade cabinets were not designed with gorillas in mind, arcade night, heroes take public transit, please hug your friends when they're having trouble reconciling their past with their present, romance free, ship free - Freeform, swearing in Japanese
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-17 03:19:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8128403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherfirename/pseuds/anotherfirename
Summary: Hana Song’s original plan was to drag Lúcio Correia dos Santos down to the arcade for the night, but then more people tagged along and the more the merrier right? A chill night out with friends with highlights such as: someone going broke, someone rediscovering their love of dance games, and someone becoming so salty they become the Dead Sea.





	1. "Welcome to paradise!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Public transit and a bit of exposition. Turns out playing video games is more complicated than it looks.

To no one’s surprise it was Hana Song, more famously known as D.Va, who found the arcade just a bus ride away from the new old base. Lúcio was the first person she took this information to after loudly bemoaning the fact that he’s never been to an arcade before.

“Never had a chance growing up,” Lúcio Correia dos Santos explained as his friend stared at him slack-jawed over breakfast. “Then with the touring I didn’t have time.”

Things would be simple if it ended there with two friends and a night out, but ex-commander Jack Morrison overhead the conversation and brought up security concerns. Hana assured the soldier that she figured out a safe route and scoped out the area to make sure it’s secure. Still, Jack was not convinced. Despite all of her skills and accomplishments, Hana has little experience with undercover and covert ops. A blessing in its own way as far as he’s concerned, but his point remained. So Hana, with an impish grin, came to the conclusion that this just means he has to come with them. After all, who better to assess and maintain the arcade’s safety than the infamous vigilante Soldier: 76? He walked into that one to be fair.

Word spread quickly through the small group, and arcade night gathered a few more attendants. Hana mentioned the plan to Lena Oxton who insisted Winston put his work down for a few hours and enjoy a night out. Then Jesse McCree, who will take just about any excuse to leave the base, joined on, and Genji Shimada decided that some nostalgia wouldn’t be remiss.

And that is how we find our heroes not as heralds of a new age, but as a motley crew taking public transit.

“Don’t know how you talked me into this,” Jack mutters with his arms crossed as he slouches back in the worn seat.

“It was your idea,” Hana cheerfully reminds him. “Because I don’t have the,” she pauses to shift into the deepest and gruffest voice she can manage, “necessary undercover experience to properly assess the location.”

“Doesn’t explain why I’m here if you already have covert ops agents tagging along.”

“Genji doesn’t count. McCree really doesn’t count.”

Across from them the cyborg ninja in question is both amused by the conversation and a little curious as to why he doesn’t count.

“The point is,” Hana continues, “you’re already here so you might as well relax for once.”

“Actually, I agree with the young Ms. Song,” Winston pipes up from the back of the bus where he’s claimed an entire row of seats. “Should anything happen while we’re here then someone at base will notify us immediately, and a little relaxation can go a long way. In fact there are numerous studies documenting the positive effects of—”

“That’s the spirit, Winston!” Lena cheers, not unintentionally cutting him off.

“Fine,” Jack says, though it sounds more like a snarl.

“Well this’ll be an interesting night,” Jesse chuckles as Hana twists around in her seat to pull a chord and call for a stop.

As promised the bus takes them right to their destination where they depart, some with more ease than others judging by Winston’s profuse apologies, and gather in front of the arcade. The first things that draw their attention are the double doors that also function as brightly lit advertisement with game logos and special events scrolling across the opaque black glass. Flanking the doors the massive panes of glass that make up the extensive window-front are treated so that patrons can see out but passersby can’t see in. The effect results in a near perfect reflection of the quiet street broken by erratic flashes of light from the other side. Mounted above the door is a sign announcing the arcade’s name in twisting neon lights.

“So what do you think?” Hana asks Lúcio who stares up at the neon sign.

“Hey why’re the windows blacked out?” Lúcio asks. “That ain’t welcoming.”

“Neighbourly concerns,” Genji explains. “Many find the light irritating.”

“Basically there are a bunch of people in the world who don’t know how to have fun,” Hana says, and no one misses the pointed look she gives Jack.

“Well the night ain’t getting any younger,” Jesse says as he steps forwards to open the door. A blast of sound and cold air rushes out of the building, earning a mixture of reactions ranging from barely contained excitement to disgruntled dread. “After you.”

The arcade is best described as an organized mess with the more traditional cabinets taking up the majority of the space before moving into games that require increasingly complex equipment. Greeting them at the entrance are the crane games enticingly stuffed with adorable characters, but those quickly blend into what many call carnival games. At the very back by the washrooms and vending machines is a small pizza vendor that also provides open-use tables and chairs.

The group stands in awe as they’re assaulted by an unending surge of light and noise. Countless voices meld together into an indistinguishable blur of catchphrases and congratulations, but drowning out the electronic voices are enthusiastic sound effects that clash against each other in a cacophonous symphony punctuated by the shouts of over-excited gamers. Cabinets flash bright amid the low lights like a neon dance party, and promises of wealth and glory display proudly across increasingly colourful screens. The cold air blasting down from the ceiling is more for the machines’ sake than the patrons. It carries with it the faint smell of pine air freshener, but the further back you go the stronger the faint smell of greasy pepperoni and cheap cheese becomes.

“Welcome to paradise!” Hana declares, raising her voice to be heard over the noise.

“Nostalgic,” Genji remarks fondly. “I wonder if they have some of the older classics.”

No one else comments as all they can do is stare in awe at their new surroundings. The bright lights in the dark space are hard to adjust to, and the noise is reminiscent of a battlefield with so much happening all at once. Hana takes their awestruck expressions as an achievement and quickly ducks away from the group to pay for an evening of gaming for everyone.

“Man, where do we even begin?” Lúcio asks, breaking his silence once Hana has returned.

“That’s why you’re lucky you have a professional with you,” Hana says. “I like to go for the new games first. Then settle in with my favourites so I can work on my high scores.”

“Alright, how does this work?” Lena asks as Hana hands her a card stamped with the arcade’s name and logo. “I’ve only ever used the token ones.”

“It’s like a PC bang where you pay for time not games played. The games where you can win prizes are extra and you load that money onto your card too, but you get a few rounds for free. Don’t worry, I only put on an hour to start in case you noobs call it quits. My treat.”

“Taking a break is also advisable,” Genji adds. “Even though it is cheaper to buy more time at once, you lose time when you stop to eat or drink. Or if you decide to leave early. Unless you are certain you’re going to stay, it is not generally worth it.”

“Hold up a second,” Lúcio says. “Hana, how much time is on yours?”

Hana’s terrifying grin is answer enough, and the musician decides it’s best if he doesn’t push the subject.

“Why do I get one?” Jack asks as he turns the card over in his hand. “I’m not here to play.”

“Why?” Hana echoes. “Because it’d be fun and you need to learn to have some? Relax, old man. The timer doesn’t start until your first game, so I guess if you’re really going to be no fun I can use it another day.”

“It would be rude to turn down a gift,” Winston points out. “And we should all make the most of our time here since we made the trip.”

Jack mutters something under his breath that no one catches, but he’s not leaving and everyone takes that as a good sign.

“Alright, team!” Lena declares. “Enough talk, let’s play!”

And with that Lena grabs Winston’s hand, or at least two fingers given the size difference, and drags him off down a random aisle. Jesse tips his hat in a silent farewell before ambling off towards the section reserved for carnival games.

“So I have no clue where to start,” Lúcio says, turning to Hana. “Can I just watch you play first?”

“Sure,” Hana says. “I hope they have the bullet hell that came out last month. I can’t believe I missed it!”

Hana chatters on about the new mechanics in this new game as Lúcio follows her to the section reserved for an eclectic mix of newer cabinets. This just leaves Jack and Genji, the former of which still doesn’t know why he’s here.

As a trained soldier and now vigilante Jack’s always on high alert for the potential that something will go wrong. Nothing seems to be amiss though, and having Genji and Winston nearby alleviates some of his concerns. For obvious reasons most of them weren’t able to bring weapons to the arcade, but a full-grown gorilla is formidable even unarmed and there has never been a civilian brave enough to tell Genji to lay down his weapons.

“So,” Jack says. “There couches or something?”

“Usually in the back,” Genji says with a chuckle. “Shall we?”

Jack nods his assent and follows the ninja past the flashing lights through to the back of the arcade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Our heroes actually get to play some games!


	2. Finally, Gaming Happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes finally get down to gaming. It goes better for some than others.

Winston and Lena Oxton wander the colourful aisles before picking a military themed co-op game at random. The game almost looks cute despite the violence with its comically oversized bullets and enthusiastically dramatic music. They tap in with their cards and select characters with impressively large chins, and after a few false starts while figuring out the controls they fall into a comfortable rhythm. Or at least Lena does.

“I suspect these controls were not made with gorillas in mind,” Winston says as his character once again leaps down a pit and to his death.

“You’ll get the hang of it, love,” Lena says brightly. “And no one masters anything on their first go.”

“I miss my own keyboard, even if the banana key does mock me. Do you think I would do better at this using that instead?”

“Oh definitely!”

“Now that we’re considering alternative methods, I wonder if using my feet would be more effective.”

“Winston! You can’t do that! Not in a public place!”

The game continues with abundant explosions until after an unfortunate encounter with a tank Winston loses his last life and he’s forced to bow out. Lena doesn’t last much longer without a partner, even one who struggles with the basic controls, and it quickly becomes apparent that she’s mistiming a lot of her movements.

“I think I’m too used to the chrono-disassociation,” Lena says when she fails to dodge out of the way of an incoming missile strike. “That’s okay. It just means I’m used to moving faster!”

“So I’ve noticed,” Winston says, and though he tries to sound weary there’s a distinct note of fondness in his voice.

Lena does her best to adjust to the unfamiliar delay, but the game is not very forgiving and during the second level’s boss fight she loses her last life.

“Aw, rubbish” Lena pouts when the screen fades to black and the game over picture appears. “At least it was a fair shot. Let’s see what else they have. I think I saw flight sims over this way.”

“I have a feeling I won’t fit in the seat,” Winston says, “but I’m more than happy to watch you play.”

“We’ll figure something out, big guy. It’s no fun just watching someone else play.”

“I disagree. From what I understand Ms. Song first career existed thanks to the concept. But we can have a look. Maybe it will work if we push the seat back far enough. Just as long as we’re not flying against each other. I don’t relish the thought of facing you in the air.”

“Alright. But you haven’t lived until you’ve flown like I have.”

“I think the way you fly is far outside of my skill level.”

Lena giggles and the deal is settled. Together the two abandon the game that has flipped back to the demo footage and head off down the aisle. They’re not completely sure where they’re going, but that’s okay. With everything that’s been happening lately it’s nice to just head off without a plan every so often.

 

 

“I think I’m having an out of body experience,” Lúcio Correia dos Santos says as he stares wide-eyed at the screen.

Hana Song’s hands are almost a blur as she maneuvers her character through an endlessly scrolling screen filled with colourful bullets. Whenever Lúcio thinks he recognizes a pattern amid the chaos he loses it almost immediately and the whole thing becomes a brightly lit blur once more. If it weren’t for the light shows he’s used to he thinks he would go cross-eyed.

Hana’s character and the enemies she faces are obscured by the bullets flying across the screen, but Lúcio catches a few glimpses of the stylized girls with improbable outfits and exaggerated eyes when Hana button mashers her way through the dialogue. When Lúcio realized he’d never wrap his head around the game he decided to try and understand the plot instead, but with all the text being in Japanese it’s a lost cause. He wonders if he should ask Genji to translate before remembering that Hana can’t read Japanese either. Ultimately he decides that maybe the words are less important once you know how to play.

“It’s not hard once you get the hang of it,” Hana says during a rare moment when there are only tens instead of hundreds of bullets filling the screen. Lúcio can’t blame her for not being talkative, especially since he can barely keep up and he’s not even playing. “A lot if it’s memorizing patterns. The rest is practice.”

“Easier said than done,” Lúcio laughs. “Man you are awesome.”

“감사! I asked about changing my MEKA’s targeting systems to be more based on bullet hells, but it didn’t work out. Oooh, hang on. Boss fight!”

Lúcio stays quiet as Hana launches back into the fray. At one point he thinks he might understand this pattern a little, and he tracks Hana’s movements through the field of bullets. They always home in on where she last was, so as long as she keeps moving and doesn’t backtrack too soon then she’s in the clear. That brief moment of understanding quickly escapes Lúcio though when the boss changes patterns and the screen is rapidly filled with dangerous but oddly beautiful spirals or bullets that descend from the top of the screen in a motion reminiscent of falling water.

Hana stares intently at the screen, eyebrows furrowed in concentration and only speaking to trash talk the boss. Slowly she chips away at the health bar spanning the top of the screen. When she loses a life she curses loudly in Korean, something Lúcio is used to now, before launching back in with renewed determination. Lúcio isn’t surprised when she beats the boss, even if it is only with one life to spare. Hana cheers triumphantly and quickly snaps a picture of her score with her phone. Then to Lúcio’s surprise she chooses to quit instead of continue.

“I can come back later,” Hana explains when she sees Lúcio’s confused expression. “We’re here so you can have fun, and I want to see you play rhythm games.”

“Yeah,” Lúcio says, “I’ve played some of those. I like the one with the seals that flop around. They’re so cute.”

“But you’ve only played mobile games like on your phone back at base. If you’re at an arcade you should play games you can only play here.”

“Sounds good. Lead on!”

Lúcio follows close on Hana’s heels and tries not to get distracted by everything around him. Some people have called his shows overwhelming, but as far as he’s concerned they’re nothing compared to this. Whenever they pass someone playing something Lúcio can’t help but glance over their shoulder. Some games he thinks he recognizes from watching videos online, but most are completely new to him. Without Hana there he thinks the whole experience might feel more like drowning.

Hana comes to a stop in front of a large machine with two taiko attached to the front platform. Loud music pounds from the speakers, and on the screen a cartoon drum with a cheerful face dances along to the beat.

“This is it!” Hana declares.

“Hey this looks cool,” Lúcio says. “So it’s a drumming game right?”

The screen switches to some demo footage showing a string of beats being hit with perfect timing that makes the musician feel a little nervous by the prospect.

“Yeah,” Hana says. “It’s basically taiko in video game form. You’ll be epic at it for sure.”

“But hey no pressure,” Lúcio says with a laugh. “You know I don’t do drums, right? But alright. How do I play?”

As if on cue the screen switches to a tutorial video that Hana emphasizes by picking up the two drumsticks and miming along with the instructions. Lúcio taps out the beat against his leg and is pleased to find that he can keep it without a problem. Now he just needs to get the drumming motions right.

“Don’t worry about technique,” Hana says as Lúcio presses his card against the reader to start the game. “I’ve seen some seriously leet skills, but they might train on real drums.”

“Taiko is wild,” Lúcio says as he navigates through the menu, balancing the drumsticks awkwardly in his hands. “I wanna do a remix when everything’s less all over the place. So any music recs?”

“This one’s good for noobs.”

Lúcio selects the song in question as well as the easiest difficulty, bobbing his head along with the menu music. Beside him Hana holds her breath during the brief silence that falls before the song begins. When Lúcio launches into the game he finds that so far his friend is right. The sticks feel weird and uncomfortable in his hands, but he keeps time easily and even starts to dance in place a little. When he finishes the song Hana cheers as the game shows Lúcio his score. Not perfect, but definitely admirable for a first try.

“That was awesome!” Lúcio says. “Any other good tunes?”

“All kinds,” Hana says as she presses her own card against the reader and takes up station at the other drum. “Let me show you my favourites.”

 

 

In the back of the arcade Jack Morrison and Genji Shimada found a table to themselves by the pizza vendor and the vending machines. Jack watches the comings and goings of everyone and keeps his back firmly towards the security cameras. Even though he had to leave his tactical visor behind his steady glare is no less intimidating.

“It always this noisy?” Jack asks, his deep voice almost lost in the din.

“This is quiet for a popular arcade,” Genji chuckles. “Hana chose a good day to come.”

“Hmph.”

Genji gives the older man a sidelong look that’s invisible except for the slight tip of his head.

“Well,” the ninja says as he stands up, “since I am here I should look around. Relive my reckless youth to some degree. Also I can no longer tell if the smell of pizza is being made better or worse by my particular condition.”

If it weren’t for the slight twitch in Jack’s eye Genji would think he didn’t hear him over all the noise. With a shrug the ninja leaves the soldier to his brooding and wanders the rows of games.

Though he’s never been to this particular arcade, and it’s been over ten years since he last step foot in one, everything is still familiar. It’s a comforting though painful feeling reminding him of what was and lost. Genji slows to a stop and closes his eyes. Bright lights continue to flash amidst the darkness behind his eyelids.

In the distance he picks out Lena’s loud and exuberant laughter. He opens his eyes and heads towards the sound.

“Lena—” Winston says.

“No, no, no!” the woman in question interrupts. “When I’m in the air I have to use my call sign. No exceptions.”

“Tracer, what’s this lever for?”

“Oh, Winston. I’ll make a true pilot of you yet.”

The two are playing a co-op flight sim game that claims to have heart-pounding action and realistic controls. Lena takes to the game immediately, and the only place she’d look more at home is at the controls of a real aircraft. Winston is less lucky, though that’s no comment on his piloting skills. He sits awkwardly half in and half out of the plastic seat that strains at its fastenings. It’s obvious he’s torn between comfort and potentially breaking something, but he’s having fun all the same. Genji pauses unnoticed to watch them and laughs lightly when Lena cheers loudly upon clearing another level. The two scores make the difference in skill level extremely obvious, but neither seems to notice as they push on to the next level.

Genji leaves them to continue playing and gravitates towards the sound of drums. He finds Hana and Lúcio drumming in sync, the latter having some trouble standing still as he dances in place to the beat. The ninja stops to watch but then his heart sinks when he realizes there’s someone unaccounted for. Swearing under his breath he sets off at a quick pace towards the carnival games.

Sure enough, Genji finds Jesse McCree at a game where he has six shots to hit targets ranked and marked with different point values. And Jesse has missed every single one.

“You know these games are rigged,” Genji says. “I know that you know these games are rigged. And there is a fine line between persistence and foolishness, Jesse.”

The cowboy doesn’t answer. He just taps his card again and starts to line up the first shot in another round. And the ninja has nothing better to do than watch him miss the shot. And the next one. And the next one after that. The entire time the computerized voice is sympathetic but at the same time not at all sorry. With any normal gun Jesse could hit any target dead center. He’d clean out all of the prizes and then management would probably ban him from the arcade. Unfortunately for him this is not a normal gun, and these games aren’t meant to be won unless you have the time and money to learn their tricks.

“Damn,” Jesse mutters as he slams the plastic gun down onto the counter.

The display flashes between a sad cartoon face and his rather paltry final score. A few more tickets spit out of the machine, adding to the underwhelming haul. Jesse reaches for his card but Genji grabs his wrist to stop him.

“Do not,” the ninja says.

“This here’s a matter of pride now, Genji,” Jesse shoots back, and the glares they exchange are more suited for a battlefield than an arcade. “‘Sides, I already loaded her up.”

“Do you mean the gun or the card? This is an intervention, Jesse.”

“I’m my own man. It’s my own cash. Figure that means I can do whatever I want.”

Jesse wrests his hand from his friend’s grip. The lights surrounding the targets come to life once more when he slaps his card against the reader. Genji lets out an irritated sigh that sounds like static in his distorted voice.

“Very well,” Genji says. “I will simply steal your bus fare to ensure you have a way of returning home.”

Jesse doesn’t answer and lifts his gun. He shifts his stance and takes on an almost ethereal glow. He opens his mouth to speak but is cut off by Genji cuffing him on the back of the head.

“Do. Not.”

 

 

Ostensibly Jack is keeping an eye on things. Overwatch has enemies on both sides of the law, and even though morale is important even the shortest trip out has its dangers. This is mitigated somewhat by general apathy and the fact that their recent actions have started to slowly but surely win back the public’s heart. Still, that doesn’t mean they can just let down their guard. The key word is ostensibly though. The truth is that Jack is doing more sulking than recon.

“Hey I thought Genji was with you,” Lúcio says when he and Hana drop by the table Jack is occupying.

“He went to look around,” the soldier replies curtly.

“So you’re just sitting here on your own?” Hana says. “That’s sad, Morrison. You should play something.”

“You can take over tag-teaming with Hana,” Lúcio offers. “I gotta take a break. Those drums are awesome, but man am I tired.”

“Pass,” Jack says. And then as an afterthought he adds, “Thanks.”

“Oooh, he’s learning manners,” Hana mocks. “Too late! Come on!”

Hana grabs Jack’s arm and tries to physically haul him to his feet but to little avail.

“Fine!” Jack snaps as he shakes her off. “One game. Then will you leave me alone?”

“No promises,” the teen shoots back.

Jack grinds his teeth and makes a sound more common for a feral dog but ultimately relents.

“If Genji comes back,” Jack says to Lúcio as Hana drags him away, “tell him to wait here.”

If Lúcio responds Jack doesn’t catch it as Hana pulls him to a light gun game that the teen once described as being old when Reinhardt was young.

“Card,” Hana says, and Jack hands his over without protest.

“What am I supposed to do with this,” Jack says, and he has enough instinct to pick up the plastic gun tethered to the machine.

“It’s an FPS. A first person shooter. Just try and keep up.”

“So it’s target practice.”

“Except you don’t shoot targets. You shoot zombies.”

“What.”

“Undead that groan a lot and aren’t too smart. Like McCree before he has coffee.”

“I know what a zombie is.”

“Then you’re set!”

“What’s the objective?”

“You shoot the zombies so they don’t eat you. It’s not hard.”

“Entry points? Terrain? Exit points?”

“Oh my god Morrison just start the game.”

Hana taps in and takes up the other station, holding her gun with familiarity but less military precision. Once they’re both locked in the game plays its opening cutscene oozing of B-movie cheese that Jack watches with an increasingly raised eyebrow.

“How do I move?” Jack asks when the first few zombies shamble onscreen.

“You don’t,” Hana says. “It’s on rails.”

“What?”

“Forget it.”

The game presents itself simply though absurdly with over the top dialogue and unnecessarily messy gore. The concept is simple though, shoot the zombies before they can get to you, and despite his initial grumbling Jack takes to it with little fuss. He is silent for the most part and only speaks to issue simple commands. Even without freedom of movement coordination is key, and Hana lets him take the lead.

“Reload,” he says on several occasions. “I’ve got your back.”

To Hana’s surprise doesn’t comment on the ridiculousness of the situation. That is, until they meet the boss.

“What,” Jack says, “the fuck is that.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures?” Hana suggests. “Just shoot it. I’m not carrying you.”

“Not a problem.”

The boss, despite surrounding himself with various inanimate objects that he promptly hurls at his attackers, goes down quickly with the combined efforts of not one but two military trained soldiers. Despite his initial grievances Jack adapts quickly to the patterns and turns shooting down the projectiles into an art.

“아싸!” Hana cheers as the boss’ death cutscene plays out in all of its low poly glory.

“Target down,” Jack announces. “That a good score?”

“Epic.”

And as if to prove her point Hana takes a picture with her phone. Then, to her surprise, Jack lifts his gun and selects continue.

“What?” Jack says as the teen stares flabbergasted at him. “You paid for time didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Hana says, raising her own gun in part to hide her delighted smile. “But I thought you’d need a nap by now.”

“Not before your bedtime.”

“This is the last time I take you anywhere.”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

 

 

“Where’ve you been?” Hana asks Genji as she returns Jack to the table so he can resume parking his ass in the back of the arcade. “Play anything good?”

“No,” Genji replies, and not without some wistfulness. “I was attempting to prevent McCree from spending all of his money, but that was a lost cause.”

“Oh. I thought you were really into video games.”

“That was a long time ago. When I was younger I passed more time than I should have in Hanamura’s famous arcade. I was very good, I must admit, though I doubt my skills are the same as they were back then.”

“Guess you went alone. I asked Hanzo if he wanted to come and he gave me this angry look. But maybe that’s just his face.”

“When we were children he would watch me play sometimes, though he rarely played himself. The only time Hanzo ever stepped foot inside of an arcade was to drag me out of it.”

Genji laughs, but there is an unmistakable note of sadness in his voice. It doesn’t sit well with Hana who is, like many of Genji’s friends, painfully familiar with the ongoing tension between the Shimada brothers.

“One game,” Hana says. “You can’t just sit here all night. Even Morrison played something!” Genji is about to refuse but then pauses for too long, giving Hana an opening. “I want to show Lúcio at least one more game before the time on his card runs out. You should come with us at least.”

“Very well,” Genji sighs as he rises to his feet.

“Guess that means I’m moving out,” Lúcio says from his seat opposite Genji. “You coming with, Morrison?”

“I’m fine here,” Jack replies, to which Lúcio shrugs and stands up.

“Lead on.”

Hana sets off through the aisles, navigating with ease towards her destination. The three stop in front of a large machine with one wide screen and two metal platforms. Each platform bears four arrows, one for each cardinal direction, and has a bar set behind it. Music plays loudly from the prominent speakers, and an enthusiastic announcer cheers on the computer player in the demo video. Colourful arrows fly upwards to the top of the screen, and Lúcio quickly realizes that the idea is to hit each one when it matches its silhouette. He’s distracted somewhat by the eccentric characters dancing around in the background, but he has a feeling that once he’s playing he won’t be paying too much attention.

“Ah,” Genji says. “I remember this.”

“Woah, hold up,” Lúcio says. “This a dancing game?

“Yeah!” Hana says. “I’m pretty good, but I’m way better at hand-eye coordination than foot-eye coordination.”

“I just gotta hit the arrows when they reach the top right?”

“Basically. It’s way easier to understand when you’re playing.”

“Then it’s time to rock. Genji? You joining?”

“It has been a long time since I played,” Genji says, and he tries not to make it sound like an excuse.

“You can’t be serious. You’re the only one who hasn’t played anything,” Hana points out. “Don’t just sit in a corner thinking all night.”

“I am not the person I used to be. This place reminds me of when I was young and reckless and irresponsible. For many reasons I am not keen to relive those days too accurately.”

“You were a typical guy. So what? You’re not irresponsible now. And there’s nothing wrong with having some harmless fun.”

“Sometimes you just gotta relax,” Lúcio says. “I don’t think you’re gonna get carried away if that’s what you’re worried about. But if you do, we got your back.”

Genji reaches out and rests a hand on the bar behind the dance pad. He looks up at the screen. Flashing lights and pounding bass. Like stepping back into a youth he thought he could leave behind. He can practically hear Zenyatta telling him that it’s all of his experiences that make him who he is today, and that truly leaving your past behind is both impossible and ill-advised. Genji sighs. He reaches for his card.

“We should start off easy,” he says. “Though I wonder if my reflexes have improved.”

Hana and Lúcio exchange grins over their success before the former pushes the latter onto the other dance pad. Once Lúcio taps in Genji starts scrolling through the songs, pausing at each one to let them hear a short snippet.

“I am not familiar with all of these,” Genji admits. “But these songs are typically easier.”

“Hey that one sounds like my jam,” Lúcio says.

Genji nods and navigates back to the song in question. He selects it and then reaches over to help Lúcio pick his difficulty. There is a brief moment of silence as the game transitions from menu to song. Then the music kicks in and arrows start to rise from the bottom of the screen. Once Lúcio adjusts to the timing he hits the arrows reliably while Hana offers her encouragement and the odd instruction.

“It’s a freeze step!” she shouts at one point. “Just step and hold!”

When the song ends the final screen congratulates them both for their full combos. Hana claps and cheers behind them.

“Kind of weird,” Lúcio admits as he leans back against the bar. “I’m used to going freestyle.”

“But did you like it?” Hana asks hopefully.

“Yeah! What’re the harder levels like?”

“Why don’t try and find out?”

Lúcio laughs and turns to face the screen again. Genji scrolls through the songs until Hana calls out her suggestion.

“This one’s hard,” she says, “but it’s a serious rush.”

Lúcio pulls a face of exaggerated fear, making her laugh.

“What’s up?” he asks when he notices Genji hasn’t picked his difficulty yet.

“I wish to,” the ninja begins, but then pauses. “If you would indulge me.”

He reaches out and puts his own difficulty up to the highest level. Lúcio and Hana exchange curious expressions but say nothing.

When the music starts Lúcio realizes that these arrows are much faster than in the other song, but then he notices that Genji’s are moving even faster. Distracted, the musician fumbles his first few steps as the screen fills with arrows.

Genji does not fall out of step. When he moves he leaves trails of green light in his wake. Hana knows that the most efficient way to play is to move as little as possible from the center and hold onto the back bar for balance, but Genji plays no heed to those concepts. He hits each arrow dead center, moving at an inhuman speed and using only his upper body to preserve his balance.

The song ends with a jump for both of them. Lúcio hits it with gusto while Genji lands so lightly that it isn’t heard over the noise. Then the ninja shifts to center himself between the arrows, rising to his full height in the process. The small pistons in his shoulders extend and vent air with a soft hiss. On the screen the game announces Genji’s full combo.

“Holy,” Lúcio begins.

“Shit,” Hana finishes.

“It seems my reflexes have improved,” Genji says as he ducks his head sheepishly. “Though my technique leaves something to be desired.”

“If that’s bad technique then that’s ridiculous,” Lúcio says. “I wanna see what you’d do with good technique.”

“I may be considered cheating with my—”

Genji trails off when Hana pushes past him and starts scrolling through the songs.

“Hey Lúcio,” she says. “Hit that button to cancel out.”

“Okay,” the musician says. “Got it.”

“Hana,” Genji begins, but the teen raises a hand to cut him off.

“Okay,” Hana says once she’s just shy of starting the song. “I want to see you try this one.”

Genji looks up at the screen and tilts his head to one side slightly.

“It is a game mode in which you use both dance pads at the same time,” he explains for Lúcio’s benefit. “This should be entertaining to watch.”

“That’s why I’m recording!” Hana replies as she takes out her phone and gets into position.

Genji sighs as his pistons click back into place. He reaches out to prompt the game to start.

The song starts off slowly, and almost painfully so. The game demands patience as much as it does precision, and Genji moves with steady purposefulness to make each step with perfect timing. Then the song speeds up without warning, launching into a breakneck speed that makes Lúcio’s eyes go wide. At its peak the lights on Genji’s body blur together into a haze captured on video by Hana’s phone. The song is not long, barely two minutes, and as it draws to a close the song slows once more to a crawl. Genji is unfazed and gently presses the final arrows. As the game announces his full combo Hana and Lúcio cheer loudly, the latter clapping the ninja on the back. Genji tips his head back as the pistons extend once more to vent heat from his body.

“I did not think I would ever do something like that again,” he admits, “let alone have as much fun doing so.”

To his surprise Hana wraps her arms around his shoulders and hugs him. And then, to his further surprise, Lúcio does as well.

“That’s what friends are for,” Hana says when they release him.

“Thank you,” Genji says, bowing to them both. “I am glad I came out tonight. Now then, I believe I saw a unison mode.”

Hana’s face lights up with excitement and Lúcio politely bows out so that she can take the second spot. After selecting a song and a difficulty dictated by Hana they launch into the game’s version of co-op. They have to step in unison for their steps to count, though every so often the song throws the game to one player and gives the other a brief reprieve. Only here does Genji misstep as Hana does her best to distract him by reaching over to shove at him playfully. It works, and though they pass it’s by a narrow margin.

“Sabotage!” Genji declares with a laugh when Hana accuses him of not pulling his weight.

“Hey I hate to interrupt,” Lúcio says, “but I just got a text from Morrison. Says everyone’s meeting up and getting ready to roll.”

“Already?” Hana pouts.

“They likely ran out of time on their cards,” Genji says. “But it seems everyone had a good time.”

“Yeah, but now everyone’s going to leave.”

“Let’s just meet up first,” Lúcio says. “See what everyone says.”

Hana looks like she’s about to protest, but she relents with a defeated sigh and the three head back to the pizza and lounge area at the back of the arcade. They’re the last to arrive and Lena waves when she catches sight of them.

“That was fun!” she calls once they’re within earshot. “We should do this more often!”

Jack grunt disapprovingly. In response Lena clasps her hands together and gives him her best puppy impression.

“We didn’t run into any trouble,” she says.

“Upon further consideration that is odd,” Winston says. “Not unwelcome, but a little unexpected. Perhaps no one cared to get involved?”

“Maybe it’s ‘cause we blend in,” Lúcio says, waving a hand to indicate their eccentric surroundings. “I don’t think we look too out of place.”

“This is true,” Genji agrees. “Perhaps at first glance a cyborg ninja is not so strange here. And of course the last time I was in an arcade I did have green hair.”

“You used to have green hair?” Hana asks with a laugh.

“To match my dragon, yes. It was a good idea at the time.”

“Anyway,” Jack interrupts, shooting Hana a glare before she can continue her train of thought. “Most of us are heading out now.”

“Time’s up, love,” Lena explains to Hana’s disappointed expression. “And you know it’s true when I’m saying it.”

“I can add more time,” the teen protests. “My treat.”

“We best be heading back anyhow,” Jesse says. “‘Sides, I’m up early showing Ang how to bake biscochitos.”

“Are you saying that because it is actually getting late, or because you have no more money?” Genji asks.

Jesse shoots him a glare that the ninja pretends not to notice.

“You can stay if you want,” Jack says to Hana, ignoring the exchange.

“I’ll stick around,” Lúcio offers. “I’m having fun, and I can go a few more hours. But I’m paying this time, got it?”

Hana’s face lights up and she nods in agreement.

“That’s settled then,” Jack says, and he makes a hand motion that everyone recognizes as, “move out.”

“Yes, sir,” Lena teases with a giggle before heading to the exit with Winston.

“By the way, Jesse,” Genji says, turning back to the cowboy in question. “Did you win anything?”

In response Jesse holds up a phone charm featuring a blue slime with large eyes and a cheesy grin. Genji feels bad for laughing, but he does anyway. Once the ninja has more or less recomposed himself Jesse meets his inscrutable gaze with what the cowboy hopes is defiance. Genji chuckles and tosses a handful of change at the cowboy who catches it deadly. Where the ninja stores his things when he doesn’t wear clothes is a secret he’s never been forthcoming about, and not for the first time Jesse decides he’s probably better off not knowing. Genji laughs as Jesse stomps off, the cowboy’s spurs somehow still audible with all the noise. Then Genji notices that Jack is watching him and he tips his head to one side in askance.

“Place seems fine,” Jack says as he glances over at Hana and Lúcio who are busy discussing which games to play next, “but you can’t be too careful. Doesn’t help they’re both unarmed.”

“I understand,” Genji says. “I was planning on staying regardless. I will ensure that no harm comes to either of them and, hopefully, that we return before sunrise.”

Jack nods his thanks and claps the younger man on the shoulder before joining the others at the exit.

“You’re staying?” Hana asks when she notices that Jack has left.

“Yes,” Genji says. “I am not unused to late nights, and I still have a considerable amount of time left on my card. It would be rude not to use it.”

“아싸! From now on you’re the fun Shimada.”

“I wasn’t already? You wound me, Hana.”

Hana laughs and reaches out to grab Lúcio’s arm so that she can tug him back down the aisles of games. The musician happily obliges, and the two head off with the cyborg ninja in tow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think that some of these games will still be around in some form or another however many years in the future Overwatch takes place.  
> By the way Genji alternating between calling the resident cowboy Jesse and McCree is intentional and probably made more sense in my head.
> 
> Next up: a new challenger arrives!


	3. A New Challenger Arrives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please try to limit the amount of salt in your diet/life. It's not good for your heart.

Lúcio Correia dos Santos dreams fitfully of stage diving and light shows but starts awake when Genji Shimada rests a gentle hand on his shoulder. The lights and noises don’t seem to change from his perspective, they just become more real.

“I’m good,” the musician mumbles as he rubs sleep from his eyes. “What’s up?”

“Do you wish to leave?” Genji asks. “I can fetch Hana.”

“Nah, let her have fun. It’s not every day she can chill like this, you know? And I know she’s not a kid, but she’s basically a kid. Should live a little while she can.”

“Yes. I feel the same way.”

“Unless you wanna go? I know Morrison asked you to keep an eye on us. It’s awesome you’re doing that, but you don’t gotta stick around if you don’t wanna.”

“Do not worry about me. I do not need as much rest as I used to, and this would not be my first all-nighter at an arcade. I remember when I was Hana’s age. I just hope she does not make my mistakes.”

“That bad huh?”

“More so for those who knew me.”

Lúcio smiles sleepily and then rests his head on his folded arms again.

“I used to do all-nighters too,” he says. “Guess Reinhardt’s training took a lot outta me.”

“Reinhardt has that effect on people,” Genji muses. “Much adored, but very exuberant. For better and worse. If you do not mind though, I wish to join you for a time. Hana started a tournament and now the area is quite crowded.”

“Go ahead. Just don’t mind the bad conversation.”

Lúcio makes a weak gesturing motion as Genji sits down across from him. A few minutes later the musician dozes off again, making Genji smile behind his mask.

 

 

“Guard my lion?” Hana Song asks as she plops down a plush lion half her size in the chair next to Lúcio.

The musician doesn’t stir, and the ninja thinks he saw the character when he was last in Japan.

“I see you were successful,” Genji notes.

“It looks like Reinhardt,” the teen says. “Don’t you think?”

“I can see the resemblance. Is it time for your prize rounds?”

“Lúcio looks like he could use a pillow. And I didn’t want to earlier because it’d make McCree cry.”

Hana smiles fondly at her friend who dozes on despite the light show and cacophony surrounding him. Upon further reflection she thinks he might be used to this kind of thing.

“Will it fit in your quarters?” Genji asks. “From what I understand most of the space is already occupied by your various gaming consoles.”

“Maybe I’ll give it to Reinhardt,” Hana says. “I bet he’d love it.”

“Not a bet I am willing to take, because he certainly will.”

“By the way, there’re these university guys trying to start shit or something. 짜증나.”

“Ah. I remember their type. I have faced a few of them before.”

“In game or IRL?”

“Both.”

“Nice. Just make sure they don’t give you or Lúcio trouble. Usually guys like them are always going on about the gamer girl thing, but I guess they haven’t made it to me yet.”

“Or it is possible they find me intimidating. I cannot complain. That was my intention.”

Hana raises a questioning eyebrow before it clicks. She knows that Genji has been vanishing every so often, tricks of the trade and whatnot, but she always assumed he was just going to check up on Lúcio or play something else. It didn’t even cross her mind that he wasn’t going far.

“Oh,” she says. “You don’t have to do that. I can take them.”

“I know,” Genji says. “But you should not have to.”

“You should scare them more then.”

“I may have already done that. They left some time ago when you were arguing about StarCraft 2.”

“I hate when noobs think they’re pro level just because they made Diamond! And who’re you going to listen to? The real pro or the scrub? And thanks for looking out for us. Want to play some co-op bullet hell?”

“I would love to.”

 

 

Back at the Overwatch base Hanzo Shimada searches in vain for the bottle of soy sauce Genji said Mei-Ling Zhou left behind before she left on another research expedition. After asking around he discovered that not only is his brother the only person who knows where this mythical soy sauce is, he’s also still at the arcade. Hanzo’s instinctual response is that this is unsurprising, but after further consideration he finds it a little odd. Perhaps this is why he decides to take the bus to the arcade, or maybe he’s acting on instincts formed in his youth.

Occupied as they are by their game, Hana and Genji don’t notice Hanzo approaching and standing behind them.

“—more popular in Korea,” Genji is saying. “Though the idea has gained traction in some parts of Japan.”

“I heard in America they’re super rare,” Hana replies. “Is that true?”

“In my experience, yes.”

“Weird. I’ve always wanted to visit. As a tourist, not as a soldier or an agent. Even though it sounds uncivilized.”

“If there is a chance to you should. McCree would—Hanzo!”

Genji’s character careens into an onslaught of colourful bullets as the ninja leaps several feet into the air and ends up perched atop the arcade cabinet. Experience and adrenaline tell him he’s about two seconds away from being dragged out of the arcade, and literally if need be. If his brother thinks any of this is odd he doesn’t show it and simply peers curiously at the screen where Hana is now valiantly trying to beat a two person game on her own.

“You have been here all night?” Hanzo asks impassively.

“Yes. It seems I have,” Genji says as he sheepishly climbs down from the cabinet.

“It is nearly morning.”

“Yes. It seems it is.”

“Hm.”

Hana is finally overwhelmed and she slams her hand down on the cabinet when the game over screen appears. Then she turns and punches Genji in the arm, though to little effect.

“What happened to my backup?” she asks.

“My apologies,” Genji says. “I was distracted.”

“Whatever. You died first which means I won the bet. And that means 새우깡 for me!”

Hanzo looks to his brother in askance as Hana does a victory dance.

“Similar to かっぱえびせん,” Genji explains.

“I see,” Hanzo says. “Where will you find those here?”

“I saw a store that sells Japanese and Korean snacks. They will have them or something similar enough to settle this bet with.

“Do they have プリッツ?”

“Most likely. I can check if you wish.”

“Perhaps I will go with you. Is this what you have been doing?”

“We’ve been playing other games too,” Hana protests as if that’s the part that matters. “By the way, Genji has way better footwork than you do. And he’s the fun Shimada now.”

“Unsurprising. I never gave these places much thought beyond being a likely place to find my brother.”

“I was more trouble than I was worth,” Genji admits.

“So the elders insisted.”

“They sound like a bunch of jerks,” Hana says. “So you want to play a game, Hanzo?” Both Shimada brothers turn to stare at her blankly. “I mean you’re already here. Please don’t tell me you showed up just to drag us back to base. Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“I suppose,” Hanzo begins, and then after a lengthy pause adds, “one game would not hurt.”

Hana shoots Genji a triumphantly smug look that the cyborg is too flabbergasted to notice.

“Well,” Genji says, snapping out of his stupor. “We will find something you may like.”

Hanzo nods his assent and Genji looks nervously at Hana who makes an encouraging shooing motion.

For a moment Genji thought they were somehow infiltrated by an imposter, but even after everything that happened between them he knows his brother when he sees him. He reminds himself that when they were children Hanzo used to have a fascination for a select few games, a secret he tried unsuccessfully to keep from Genji. The younger Shimada reasons that his brother is simply taking this opportunity now when he is no longer under the pressure of family obligations and overbearing elders.

Genji finds a fighting game he used to play a lot of when he was younger. It features two dimensional fighting with limited controls that becomes increasingly complex at higher levels. Despite that it’s a good game for beginners to start on.

“I was always fond of this game,” Genji says as he motions for Hanzo to sit down in front of the cabinet. “And the basic controls are easy to understand.”

Genji presses his card against the reader to start the game. Behind the brothers Hana keeps a polite distance as she watches with interest. Hanzo frowns and looks down at the joystick and handily labeled buttons before him.

“I will walk you through it,” Genji promises. “You use this to move, and these buttons to attack. Each button triggers a different kind of attack, but it will be easiest to only use these two for now.”

“I understand,” Hanzo says as he places his hands on the controls.

His brother walks him through the set-up, selecting the easiest AI and a character that’s widely regarded as overpowered but easy to learn on.

“And perhaps,” Genji adds hopefully as the countdown appears, “once you have learned the controls we can play a match or two together.”

Hanzo doesn’t give any indication that he heard, but this doesn’t bother Genji. Small steps are all he can hope for after their bloody separation, and Genji doesn’t consider this small.

Hanzo understandably fumbles through the first part of the match despite his brother’s instructions and advice. It’s an uphill battle though, and one the Shimada doesn’t win.

“It was your first match,” Genji says as he directs Hanzo back to the set-up. “Now that you understand the controls you will do better.”

Hanzo doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t get up either which Genji takes to be a good sign. The second match is set up the same way as the first one except for the cosmetic difference in stage. Once more Hanzo fumbles through with Genji as his coach, and once more Hanzo loses. Without Genji’s prompting Hanzo navigates back through the menus for a rematch. It is until Hanzo is down another two rounds that he says anything.

“くそ.”

Genji looks up at his brother with surprise. He can’t remember the last time he heard him swear so openly. Even when Genji was purposefully trying to annoy his older brother, Hanzo would only ever respond with impatient chastising and the odd insult.

“Perhaps,” Genji says when Hanzo loses this match as well, “you should try a different character. In many cases finding a character that matches your own fighting style is the key to victory.”

“No,” Hanzo snaps. “I will continue using this one.”

Genji decides it’s better not to argue and simply allows his brother to begin and then promptly lose another match. By the next match after that no one can doubt that Hanzo is getting annoyed. His grip tightens on the joystick and he hits each button with extra emphasis. This continues for several more matches as he starts to get louder and more vocal, slipping completely into Japanese and uttering complex strings of insults and threats punctuated with the increasingly frequent, “クソゲー!”

Genji has the sinking suspicion that Hanzo learned the term from him.

“Holy shit!” Hana shouts with a laugh, no longer keeping her distance as she leans over Hanzo’s shoulder to watch the train wreck close up. “Someone translate that for me!”

And Genji, with a hand pressed across the visor of his mask, simply says, “Absolutely not.”

 

 

Ultimately in order to get Hanzo to give up Genji has to knock his brother unconscious, a feat not normally this easily achieved. Genji declares it’s time for them to leave as Hana helps him load the archer onto his back, resulting in an ungainly looking piggy-back ride. Somewhat reluctantly the teen goes to fetch Lúcio who is still asleep and curled up against the lion plush. And as the four of them wait at the bus stop with the sky starting to brighten with the incoming sun, joy bubbles up in Hana Song’s chest. The night was more absurd than she ever dreamed it would be, and so unlike anything she could have imagined back home. And she is thrilled. For here she is, young and unafraid in a brave new world with friends at her side. Her laugh, high and clear and full of life, echoes down the quiet street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I spent an unreasonable time researching snack food for this chapter. But now I really want shrimp chips. The Calbee kind or the prawn cracker kind I'm not picky.
> 
> And so the story draws to an end. I'd say that at least no one got hurt, but I guess that's not technically true.  
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
